Stormers keep calm as unbeaten run faces La Rochelle Champions Cup test

Hype is swirling, and the unbeaten buzz is loud, but the Stormers are tuning out the noise as they steel themselves for a seismic Champions Cup duel with La Rochelle in Gqeberha on Saturday.

The Cape side will host the former champions at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (3pm kick-off) as they look to keep their unbeaten run intact following a strong start to the season in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and elite European competition.

While there is plenty of hype around the Stormers and the form they are currently in, director of rugby John Dobson has warned that getting caught up in it could be detrimental.

It is an important match in the context of the season for the home team; they will look to maintain their winning momentum. However, a loss could derail them, looking at the tough South African URC derbies ahead in December. In January, they will conclude their Champions Cup group stage with another home-and-away duel.

Dobson loaded his starting XV with nine Springboks and said they must get things right this weekend. Bok pivot Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and halfback-partner Cobus Reinach are the two big guns returning, but utility back Damian Willemse is still nursing a slight hamstring injury.

“It would be quite a blow to us if we do not get things right on Saturday,” Dobson said during the team announcement. 

“There is a lot of hype around us, and we can’t believe that. We must stick to our processes, as terrible as the cliche is, and train as hard as we did today (Wednesday). There are still some things that we are not doing properly. We looked at a video this morning.

“We also can’t relax and think our resilience will bail us out of trouble. We can’t rely on it forever; one day it won’t work. This is a big challenge. We think we have the squad to get out of our group, and from here, you must win home games to do that.”

According to Dobson, this team is as close to the strongest side they will ever be able to put onto the field. They still have some injured Boks like tighthead prop Frans Malherbe and utility forward Deon Fourie out alongside Willemse, and speedster Seabelo Senatla, but their replacements have shown their mettle.

The Stormers are preparing as if they are facing the strongest side La Rochelle can bring to South Africa. However, big lock Will Skelton has been deregistered by the side because of an injury. There is also uncertainty if players like eighth man Grégory Alldritt and star utility player Levani Botia travelled with the French giants.

But the Stormers will focus on what they are able to control in the game without putting too much emphasis on their opponents.

“Damian is out as a precaution, but jeepers, I can’t complain about this side. We are building depth; however, we have been looking forward to the day we can put this team out.

“We are preparing for their full mettle team, but we are hearing conflicting stories of who is here. We’ve prepared for the best of La Rochelle.”

Stormers XV

15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.

Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Imad Khan, 23 Wandisile Simelane.